


Renege

by Pen_cil



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: AU???, F/M, Fluff, Love Triangles, M/M, Other, Will there be smut? Who knows, cliche but not too cliche, gender neutral reader, one-sided relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2018-11-17 07:51:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11271237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pen_cil/pseuds/Pen_cil
Summary: Based on an anon request from tumblr.Long story short; Jack, Gabriel, you get tangled in love triangle shenanigans, which later results in angst.Long story, you're the Head of Medic in the recent post-Omnic Crisis Overwatch. Jack assigns himself to personally help you out as you are a rookie in the military field. Gabriel doesn't like the fact that his bosses assigned newbies in high positions in Overwatch (Jack - Strike Commander, You - Head of Medic). So he steals Jack's new crush as a way of revenge.I've already written out a general plotline for this fic, the question is will I stick to it?





	1. New arrival

**Author's Note:**

> Based off a tumblr request: https://overdrivels.tumblr.com/post/160557423614/hi-could-i-request-something-angsty-or-fluffy-or  
> In case of confusion in this story, Mercy or Angela Ziegler has yet to join Overwatch since she is roughly around the age of 14. I’ve heard (and personally headcanon) that Mercy joins Overwatch around the ages 17-19. So for now, the reader was selected to be head of the Medic group in Overwatch until Mercy is discovered for her genius and prodigal talents.

It’s a been a month since Jack’s promotion to Strike Commander and Gabriel should know better than to still be brooding over it. He knows why the United Nations chose Jack over him and has constantly been reminded about it when comforted by his peers. The UN wanted someone with charm and a face the public would love. Jack fit the role, he is the golden boy who follows directions and makes the most cliche of speeches after all. But Gabriel, he was already the leader of Overwatch during the war and he, too, could be charming.

He should really be focusing on the meeting that is in progress, however, his thoughts were too distracting. Maybe it was something about the bland walls or the bored expressions of everyone as they listen to the director review the changes Overwatch was going to face now that the war was over. ‘It’s fine,’ he tells himself crossing his legs on the table while glancing over at Jack who is sitting in the chair next to him.

‘What does the UN like about that baby face anyways? Maybe it’s those puppy blue eyes that keep wandering off every second to-’

Wait a second, what the fuck is he looking at? It’s not like him to not pay attention to these meetings. Gabriel turns to the direction where Jack looks at every so often. Near the end of the table was where you sat, an unfamiliar face to Gabriel. Apparently, the UN thought a newcomer was good enough to be at the big table with the veterans. Gabriel didn’t like it, newbies jumping up ranks without proving themselves, without the proper experience. He glances back to Jack after deciding that. It’s then that Gabriel sees the emotion on Jack’s face. The gentle glance, the lingering stare, he looks like some kind of schoolboy with a crush. Just when Gabriel starts to investigate Jack’s strange obsession, the meeting ends. Chairs were being pushed back, papers shuffled and organized, signaling that people were getting ready to leave. Then something surprising happens, you walk directly to Jack as he stood up from his seat.

“We still up for lunch?”

“Yeah, yeah of course,” Jack replies with a smile, a smile that was different from his normal one, it felt more genuine, more sincere. It was so unusual to Gabriel, that he grabs Jack by the shoulder before he could leave. Jack turns his head and stares at Gabriel for a moment before telling you to wait outside for him. Jack, then, crosses his arms with an eyebrow raised at Gabriel.

“Did you need something?”

Gabriel can hear a hint of irritation in Jack’s words but shrugs it off by crossing his own arms in retaliation.

“Yeah, who’s the rookie?”

Jack sighs and recites to Gabriel what the higher ups had told him. Overwatch needed someone to manage the medical division. So they chose a person who had been showing a lot of promise recently. And that he was assigned with orders to oversee that the new head of Medic settles in nicely. Gabriel came to the conclusion that they just want someone like Jack, who could get along with anyone. Next thing you know, they’ll build a statue for the kid too. Finishing up his report to Gabriel, Jack straightens up and looks directly at the man.

“I know you don’t like it but the ‘rookie’ deserves a chance. We all do.”

Jack leaves without another word, shutting the doors behind him. Gabriel stood there, arms still crossed. He felt offended and guilty at the same time. By the way Jack had phrased it, his words weren’t only about the rookie but himself as well. Gabriel brings a hand to his face to try to calm his thoughts, although failing miserably to do so. What is Jack doing? Crushing on a new recruit, especially when he’s supposed to be the leader of Overwatch nonetheless. It’s only been a month and if he’s not going to take on his role seriously, maybe it’s time for him to get a taste of his own medicine.

* * *

Gabriel spent the rest of the day researching more into the recruit. Going through all the files that were accessible to him and scanning over the reports from the UN. Graduated as the top of the class, valedictorian, gets along well with coworkers, highly recommended, so on and so on. With the world still recovering from the Omnic Crisis, Overwatch did need a head of Medic. And, of course, they chose who they thought would be best. Gabriel rolls his eyes, they already had plenty of good doctors yet their superiors pass them aside. A sense of déja vu hit him square in the face. What more is that Jack approves their choices and decided to personally watch over the newbie. This isn’t usually the type of person Gabriel would go for, but if he makes Jack feel how he felt, he can indulge it.

You never understood why Overwatch asked you take on such an important role ignoring the fact that you barely had any experience out in the military field. Sure you worked more than your fair share in hospitals and was praised for being pretty good at your job, but it’s a risky move to place a novice into such a high position. While you did accept the offer, it still bugs you. And you were sure a lot of your soon-to-be-colleagues were not going to appreciate it. Bad thoughts aside, you are grateful to have Strike Commander Morrison (or Jack as he constantly told you to call him) guide you through this. He was the one who reached out to you about the career change. The two of you exchanged emails and, for weeks, had lengthy debates about whether or not you should take his proposal. When you hesitated, he promised to help you out and do everything in his ability to make sure you didn’t regret accepting the offer. Eventually, you caved in and agreed after three weeks, six days, and twelve hours. The lunch with Jack really brightened your day. You were introduced to his friends, people who you can now call your friends too. He apologized and told you that there were suppose to be others but they were all busy with something else. You didn’t mind, the company of Ana and Reinhardt was enough. Ana instantly became a role model to you, her sassy, caring, and attentive attitude reminds you of your mother. From her words and actions, you could tell she’s the motherly figure of the group. Reinhardt terrified you at first because of his towering stature however his bubbly personality soothed any fears you had. You were blessed to have made amazing friends before jumping into a big role, god knows how much you needed some.

Currently, you are near the end of your tour of the headquarters as Jack is showing you to your room. “I hope my tour didn’t bore you,” Jack jokes, but his troubled expression told otherwise. You cool his worries with a smile and shook your head, “No way, you were way more interesting than the guidebook.” He lets out a breath of relief and bid you a good evening before walking off. Upon entering your room, a message popped up on your personal terminal on your desk. Everyone gets one when they’re recruited, a sort of private messaging between Overwatch members. You were surprised to see that it was from Gabriel Reyes, a friend that Jack mentioned during lunch. If you remembered correctly, he was the one who sat next to Jack during the meeting today. The one who glared at you for a few seconds before turning his attention back to Jack. And the one who invited you to get drinks with him tonight.

* * *

You follow the directions in Reyes’s message which led you to the front door of a bar called Anbruch, which was a few miles away from the base. It was fancier than you anticipated, leaving you feeling a bit under-dressed in your casual Overwatch-issued attire. The glass sliding doors open to a dimly-lit establishment with a cozy lounge on it’s left side and the bar’s countertop on it’s right. Sitting in the chair, three rows down in front of the countertop, was Gabriel Reyes. The sight of him wearing something similar to your outfit comforted you. He notices you and signals you to sit on the chair to his right.

“I believe proper introductions are to be made. The name’s Gabriel Reyes. You are?”

You were pretty sure he knows your name at the very least from the look he’s giving you, but you introduce yourself regardless. He orders another drink for himself and told the bartender to put whatever you order on his tab. You were about to decline his offer, he stops you.

“Consider it a welcome gift,” he chimes in. You scoff and asked him if he does this for all the newcomers. He chuckles and left it at that, changing the subject. Hours passed as Reyes and you continue on, getting to know each other with countless anecdotes between sips of drinks. He told you his war stories, and in exchange, you told him some of the stranger incidents you’ve encountered while working in hospitals. One of your most memorable being the time when a patient woke up from a concussion and started half-singing, half-mumbling “What Doesn’t Kill You.” It startled you and the nurses so much that you immediately issued a CT Scan to be done. Reyes laughed at that, almost choking on his drink causing you to laugh along too. In the midst of it all, a feeling of ease washed over you two. You weren’t sure if it was because of the intoxicating drinks, the warm atmosphere of the bar, or perhaps something more. A part of you hopes that time slows down so this moment could last forever. Unfortunately, time doesn’t stop for anyone, as the clock hit midnight, you recall a small minor detail Morrison mentioned while passing by the front gates earlier in the day. The gates close at twelve and they don’t open again until six in the morning. Time froze for you and not in a good way you had hope for. The feeling of ease dissolved into shame from a haunting thought about the consequences you both would face when people find out you guys were out past curfew. You quickly turn to Reyes to tell him what troubled you, perhaps he had forgotten to keep track of time as well. You read from his expression that he know what troubles you. But he didn’t seem worried, a sardonic grin emerges onto his face as if showing off something he had and you didn’t. In fact, all he does is take one last swig of his drink and walk out the door. You follow, utterly confused and worried.

“You think that just because the gates are closed, we’re locked out? Please.”

“What do you mean? Jack said that the gates close at twelve.”

The moment Jack’s first name was uttered from your lips, Reyes’s eye twitches and his mood turns sour. He is silent the whole way back. Upon reaching the gates, you confirmed that it is indeed closed. The steel wall stood fifteen meters tall giving you no hopes of just “climbing” over it. What could Reyes possibly do to get the two of you inside? You watch as he walks away from the gates and around the corner. There was little choice for you so you trail behind him, hoping there was some secret entrance or back door he had up his sleeves. It was becoming clearer and clearer to you that your suspicions were correct when Reyes opens a hatch from the ground. He tells you that it’s an old emergency escape system that ran under the headquarters. It was forgotten and abandoned, very few had knowledge of it. The tunnel was flushed with darkness and had an eerie look to it, due to the fact that the lights and alarms were never replaced. With no hesitation, Reyes steps down the stairs and into the darkened tunnel. You rush in close behind him, grabbing his sleeve as the hatch door shuts above you. Little sound could be heard except for the automatic mechanism of the hatch locking itself. A few seconds passed before several feet of light shined onto the walls before you. Reyes strolls through the tunnel with a flashlight on hand with you still clinging on to his sleeves.

“It isn’t my first time out past twelve,” he stated nonchalantly, making you wonder just how many times has he done this. It’s only been a month since Overwatch settle down in this inactive military base. From the tour Jack gave you, you could see that there were still parts being renovated and things not yet unpacked.

“I didn’t know you were such a rule breaker,” you chided. Though his back was turned to you, you could feel that he had rolled his eyes.

“Technically I’m not, there’s no rule forbidding you to be out past curfew. The book just states that the main gates close at twelve.”

Now it was your turn to roll your eyes, while a smile played on your lips. ‘Not following the rules but not breaking them as well’ you suppose there will always be those sort of people. Reyes delivers you to your room with simple partings before heading off to his own room. You collapse on your bed, glad to feel the soft pillows below and smoothness of the bedsheets above. It’s been a long first day, you don’t think you’ve met so many people in one moment in your whole life. Before sleeping, you revisit your day. The part that stood out the most isn’t the lunch with Jack and the others, it is time spent with Reyes that plagues your thoughts. You could still hear the deep laughter of his voice ringing in your ears. His sly yet charming smirks he throws at you when he gets to a juicy part of his stories or whenever you brought up something that interests him. Thinking about him makes you lose track of time and sleep. After what seems like hours you finally realize that you may have started falling for him.


	2. Mission Briefing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More or less a filler chapter. I mainly wanted a training scene.

When you step onto the training grounds, the sun was barely peeking out over the Swiss mountains. Any normal human being would hate waking up this early in the morning. But for someone with your experiences of getting up at ungodly hours or not sleeping for days at end, it was just another normal morning for you. Perhaps even a miracle, actually waking up during the day and not at night for those graveyard shifts. Jack was already there, stretching to warm himself up from the cold morning air. You couldn't help but stare as you approach him. Were all super soldiers built so fine, so cut from marble? Especially that well-shaped waistline peeking out of his shirt. The sound of you tripping over your own feet signaled your arrival. Hearing Jack’s muffled chuckle made you want to crawl in a hole, instead you settled for planting your face on the ground. On any other occasion, you would’ve like hearing his laughter.

After agreeing to work at Overwatch, Jack would video call you instead of writing emails as a way to get to know you and who to look for at the airport when you arrive. Your conversations were mainly focused on helping you transition and the current events. The first time you made him laugh was during the early hours of daylight and you had just woke up when he called. The day prior you had thought about the expectations of living at a military base, so you half-jokingly asked him if he liked the smell of munitions in the morning. He went silent before bursting out in laughter. It had surprised the sleep out of you, and after listening to him, you decided that it wouldn’t be so bad hearing his laugh every so often. But this, this wasn't really joke. It was rather an ‘I want to sink into the floor’ type of moment. You glance up to see Jack crouching down and holding out a hand. From his expression, you could tell he’s trying desperately not to crack up. 

“You alright?”

Taking his hand with a nod, he effortlessly pulls you to your feet. He was stronger than he looked, you note before dusting yourself off and check for injuries. Your ankle and wrist rotated properly in its sockets, thankfully you're still intact with no serious bruising—it would be embarrassing if you gotten injured when training hasn't even started.

With that said, training wasn't any better. Jack was, unexpectedly, a strict coach. You powered through intense intervals of basic warm-ups without any pause in between. An hour in and you feel the amount of sweat and tears weighing you down. A part of you wanted to stop, but you didn’t want to embarrass yourself even more than you already have. The 5km run would be your breaking point. Your feet ache with each step you take. Your lungs are about to explode. Every muscle in your body burns, screaming for you to stop. And as a feeling of dizziness and nausea overcomes you. You know you had to stop.

So you stopped. Placing your clammy palms over your shaky knees, you tried to shout out to Jack. But your throat was too dry, the saliva in your mouth barely wets your tongue. No sound escapes your lips. Luckily, it didn’t take long for Jack to notice that you weren't following behind him. When he sees you far behind him, he finally calls for a break. The instant he does, you stagger to your water bottle. You could a pair of eyes watching you downed your entire bottle. How embarrassing. And what more, you’re still thirsty. When you head to the nearby water fountain to refill your water bottle, you could recognize Jack trailing behind you from the corner of your eye. The “sad puppy” blue eyes were too much to bare that you returned your gaze to the water filling your bottle.

“I’m sorry for not noticing that you were suffering. I should have asked for your opinion about the regimen beforehand. From my years of training soldiers, I forgot you were just a civilian doctor.”

“Oh, it’s not your fault. This is probably just a wake-up call telling me that I should have exercised more. I should apologize for being so horribly unfit.”

He chuckles at that and you hear the soft ruffling of his hair as he shakes his head. You smile at him and trying to imitate confident while still half-dead.

“I'll do my best to work up to your standard. But for now, do you think we take it down a notch?”

With a small laugh and an “acknowledge” from Jack, the two of you decide to stop for today. You never felt so excited to shower in your life. The blessing of being able to wake up, shower, and have breakfast normally all in one day. You could get used to this.

* * *

After a quick shower and breakfast, you’re freshen up and ready to face whatever happens next. Jack is leading the way to the medical center while giving you a rundown of everyone who works in Medic. From what you heard, you assume they’re a logical, respectable bunch. Though you were only half-listening since a wave of nerves ran through you, causing your hands to slightly tremble. The materials you were holding started to slip that you had to press them tightly to your chest. You tried to focus on your breathing, in and out. Large white steel doors slide open upon your arrival to the medical building. The inside was brightly lit from the glass windows that covered the white walls. Groups of doctors in white lab coats gather in the middle of the main floor; they’re all in their own little discussions. There are people walking around, taking the escalator up and down floors. A few feet from where you enter stood a warm caramel-skinned female doctor, looking up from her datapad. When you make eye contact, she smiles brightly at you and Jack as if she’s recognizing who you are. Quickly, the doctor fixes her hair bun before pacing up to the both of you.

“Hello, I’m Elena and I’m assigned to be your assistant. I’ve read a lot about your work and heard many wonderful things. It’s an honor to meet you.“

“Oh! Thank you, you’re too kind.”

As you shake her hand, you feel a warm hand landing on your shoulder, making you turn to look up at the owner.

“Well, I should get going. Message me if you have any problems, good luck.”

The last part he whispers before lightly squeezing your shoulder. With a wave to Elena, Jack walks out the door towards the direction of the main headquarters. You return your attention to Elena while she ushers you further into the building. She guided you through the rooms specific for all sorts of medical equipment. Rooms for radiology, therapy, and rehabilitation. Floors for surgery, dental, and laboratory. The ICU, MRI/CMI, and patient wing. Even the small cafeteria, library, and the many doctor offices. To you, it felt like a regular hospital, only more extravagant. During the tour, she introduced you to whoever you came across. You met all sorts of doctors, surgeons to cardiologists. Meeting the rest of your coworkers was more or less an emotional rollercoaster. Some greeted you with the same friendliness that Elena had, some were less cheerful, and some ignored you completely. Though it went better than you had expected. And once you settle down in your office, you hear the familiar rumble of your stomach. Just in time for lunch.

* * *

Crowds of people fill the cafeteria, it was double than the amount you had seen during breakfast. While standing in line, you had thought about bringing your food back to the office to eat so you could check the new messages that popped up on your computer. That thought had past when you remember agreeing to eat with Jack’s group from now on.

“Sleep well?”

It felt like your heart jumped out of your chest as a familiar deep sultry voice grumbles into your ear, breaking you from your thoughts. You quickly turn to the culprit, trying to calm your pounding chest. And there he stood, Gabriel Reyes, wearing the same sly and charming smirk from last night. You noticed how close he is. He somehow radiates warmth, like heater during a cold winter.

“Not as well as I hoped.” Your reply caused him to chuckle and move away. You almost miss his warmth. Almost. Changing the topic, you decide to focus on getting lunch. Being to eat solid food with substance is a lucky break from the usual bland supplement pills. You fill up your tray before glancing over at Reyes’s. The sight of sugary desserts made you gasp louder than you should have. 

“Can you blame me for having a sweet tooth.”

It's kinda cute. Though you put away those thoughts away without a second to waste. Instead, you advise him from having too much sugar as it is bad for the body. And in return, he brushes you off with ‘super soldier’ and ‘I work out’ excuses. You could only shake your head at him, letting him off with a warning. Noticing he was heading towards the same direction you were, you ask him if he eats with Jack, Ana, and Reinhardt at meals.

"Torby's there too. And I sit with them if I have nothing else to do."

"Nothing else to do? Where were you yesterday?"

"I was... doing some research."

Before you could ask him about his "research" and who Torby is, you have arrived at the table.

“I didn't know you guys were already acquainted,” Jack said with an eyebrow raised as the two of you sit down.

Reyes held his stare for awhile before absent-mindedly returning to his meal.

“I’m giving the rookie a chance like you asked.”

Jack continues to stare at Reyes, with an unreadable expression. You didn't understand their interaction. So you chose to ignore them and went to give your greetings to Ana and Reinhardt, noting the new face sitting by them. Quick introductions went around and your list of friends (or acquaintances) grew.

“So they threw you straight into the fire huh?”

You aren’t sure what to think of Torbjörn, but Reinhardt gets along with him and if he’s one of Jack’s friends, he couldn’t be too bad of a person. The rest of lunch felt rather awkward with the tension you can feel between Jack and Reyes. As soon Reyes finishes his lunch, he walks out the door without another word aside from a parting greeting. Torbjörn leaves after, grumbling about urgent stuff he needed to attend to. You and the rest linger for a bit longer before going out in your separate ways.

* * *

 Upon returning to your office, you read the new messages you saw earlier. The first one contains mandatory information and guidelines about Overwatch. Rules and even a map of the Switzerland headquarters. There was also contact information of the other watchpoints and bases. You archived the message as important in case you needed it for later. Others were welcoming emails from a few major positions in Overwatch. Most of them sounded formal, though there were a few that sounded genuine. Ana and Reinhardt wrote one as well which you saved. You made sure to remember to write a ‘thank you’ email back to every one of them at a later time. The last one was an update on a mission you’re partaking in. The mission was to solve territorial dispute between France and Italy. Italian and French citizens have been causing violence and sparking attacks against each other. The governments are still facing the aftermath of the Omnic Crisis resulting in little to no action being taken. If the conflict isn't fixed soon, it could eventually lead into another war. Originally it was decided to place you in the rear to gain more experience before you could be put on the front lines. However, your position is updated and you are now assigned to support the frontline. You had reread it multiple times to make sure you weren’t seeing things; because what shocked you the most was the person who suggested the change, Gabriel Reyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm more excited to write the next one. Which estimated release date is... hopefully in a few days, a few weeks. I'm a slow writer and it's 5 am. I want to sleep


	3. Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mission Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This got a bit too long.

“Is this your idea of giving the rookie a ‘chance’?”

Jack stomps into Gabriel’s office, looking less than impressed. Gabriel’s only response was a raised eyebrow as he glances up from his paperwork. He knows what Jack was referring to, but as per usual, Gabriel is too stubborn to answer directly.

“You know what I mean Gabe.”

“It’ll be good experience.”

“No, it’s too dangerous.”

“It’s a simple ‘dissolve the conflict’ mission Jack. It’s not a war zone.”

“You don't know that. Things are getting worse over there. Actual people are dying.”

“Then we’ll just have to take some precautions.”

* * *

To prepare you for the frontlines, you are assigned to two weeks of boot camp. The difficulty of Jack’s training regimen was significantly increased, contrary to the agreement of it being “taken down a notch”. For two weeks all you did was train. Building physical strength and endurance with Jack. Learning how to shoot a gun with Ana. And basic hand-to-hand combat with Reyes.

“Should we stop?”

You lift your head up from the ground to look at Jack. He was some good distance ahead of you. You shake your head, causing the sweat from your hair to fall on your face. The two of you were finishing up your laps for today.

“It...It’s fine. I can pace myself, we...we’re almost done.”

“You’re the boss.”

By the time you finish all of your laps, you were ready to drink at least a bathtub of water. Your endurance has steadily been better than what it was on your first day of training. Though you still feel like shit by the end of the day.

“Good work today, you’ve really improved from last week.”

You roll your eyes at his praise as you took a sip of water. He was being genuine _—_ you can tell _—_ but you could never keep up with him.

“I'm serious.”

“I know, but it's not enough.”

He grunts while you take another sip of water from your water bottle.

“Any improvement is still improvement.”

You turn to the direction of the new voice and see Ana leaning against the doorframe with arms crossed. She pushes off the door frame and walks up to you and Jack.

“Sorry to interrupt but it's time to switch teachers.”

“Guess my job here is done, good work today.”

Jack grabs his things before exiting. Ana watches him walk out before turning back to you, placing both hands on her hips and a smile on her face. You think of it as a sign of confidence or power play.

“Alright, let’s continue from where we left off yesterday.”

“Ana, you know I’m a horrible shot.”

“And I am one of the best, have some faith in yourself. You’re improving every day.”

You’re not sure if she’s just saying that to make you feel better, but you’re grateful for her approval either way. The both of you walk to the side room armory to pick up your guns before heading to the shooting range. Ana hands you your standard semi-automatic pistol, the one you’ve been practicing with. When she first gave you the gun a week ago, you were hesitant to use it. After all, you had pledged to save lives, not take them. Your first shot had completely missed the target, your hands burned when the gun recoiled. But after working on your aim for a while, you noticed yourself improve. That's to say, at least you could hit an immobile target. Not a bullseye but it was better than nothing. A week later, you moved from shooting at standing bot to a moving one. 

“Relax and focus your aim. Wait for the perfect alignment of your gun to your target.”

You took a deep breath and lift your pistol, aiming the muzzle towards the moving training bot.  The bot moves left and right in a predictable manner. Taking Ana’s advice, you wait for the shot. Suddenly, you pull the trigger. The bot stops in its tracks before continuing its routine walk. Your shot had hit the bot, but the bullet had just barely graze its face.

“I guess we still need to work on your timing.”

You step back as Ana takes the lead. She holds up her gun and aims it at the bot.

“The key is not to hesitate. When you have the shot, take it.”

A shot rings through the air. The bot stops and collapses on the spot. Sparks fly out of the hole in the middle of its face. Bullseye.

“That’s how you stay alive, that’s how you keep others alive.”

She gestures for you to take the stand. You do, this time you try to envision something else. Something other than the thought of taking a life. Instead of taking one, you imagined saving one. You fired your shot. The bullet hits the bot on the side of its face. Not a dead center shot but the bot fall nevertheless. From the corner of your eye, you see Ana nod.

“Better.”

A few more shots later, you guys decide to stop for lunch. However, your unsettling stomach prevented you from enjoying your food. The reason for your uneasiness was your next training session. Close quarter combat training with Gabriel Reyes. You’ve been _clumsy_ —for lack of a better word—around him. And you have no one to blame, but Reyes himself for that. Your hand-to-hand sessions with him were getting too intimate. Every time he fixes your posture, you feel his touch linger. Every time you try to get close for an attack, he gets even closer. He throws you off balance. With that smug grin he wears whenever he catches your punches and kicks. With that imposing warmth you feel whenever he’s too close or traps you in his hold. It's hard to escape his clutches when you can feel the rumbles of his laughter whenever you attempt to. The worst would be his teasing and his jokes whenever you mess up or end up flat on the ground.

_“Falling for me already?”_

You thought you could get used to it after a few days. And you did, but exchange for that, he took up a lot of your mind outside of sessions. Whenever you get lost in daydreams, your brain automatically goes to thoughts of him. The inappropriateness of it all bothered you, he’s your superior and senior. It's not the time or place to have such feelings. So, you did the only thing you thought would be appropriate. Throw yourself into work and try to avoid Reyes as much as possible. As a result, you only see him during your combat lessons. Whenever he contacted you or try to start up a conversation you declined, turning him down with a few quick excuses.

_‘I’m too busy.”_

_‘I have important meetings to attend today.’_

_'I’ll have to decline that offer.’_

But no matter what, your feelings haven't seemed to cool down. In fact, your heart rate still speeds up whenever you wait for his arrival to the training grounds. You try to calm yourself with meditation. It wasn't long until you were pulled from your concentration by the noise of the door opening. Reyes walks in, looking the same as usual. Though you still wish that the training attire didn't fit his body so well, clinging on his figure like that. You try not to stare too much.

“I guess you’ll be glad that this would be the last day we train together.”

“What do you mean?”

“Tomorrow's the mission and after that, you’ll just have Jack to look after you. Things will be back to normal.”

“Oh.” You didn't know what else to say and Reyes doesn't say anything else. There was something about his tone that bugged you, it sounded too sharp. He tosses his bottle and towel to the side before signaling for you to attack. You stand. Knees slightly bent, shoulders squared, and both your fist raised to your chin. Then you rush at him with an elbow pulled back, powering your punch. He catches your fist.

“Too slow.”

You growl at him before dodging his elbow. The two of you continue evading each other’s attacks for a while. It becomes a pattern. Punch, block, uppercut, block, kick, evade, and on and on. Eventually, you feel yourself losing stamina. Yet Reyes is still as energetic as ever. Super soldiers and their unfair super strengths. You’re caught off guard and his knee lands on your stomach. The blow knocks the breath out of you, but it doesn’t stop the string of curses you let loose.

“8 minutes, a new record. Not bad.”

“What’s the point if I can’t even take you down?”

“The point is that you can stay alive. You’re a medic, you don’t need to learn how to fight. You just have to stay alive. Keep others alive.”

He’s not wrong and you can’t argue with that. He signals for you to come at him again.  

* * *

On the way to the drop off point, Jack goes over the mission with the twenty-eight agents in the shuttle, including you, Reyes, Ana, and Reinhardt. Things have gotten worse between France and Italy. The two governments had planned a pro-omnic zone, giving omnics full citizenship and civil rights, near the borders of the two countries. It sparked protest from the anti-omnic community. But, what once was simple rioting, soon became violent terrorism. Destruction falls on the pro-omnic zone as extremist had joined forces to form _The Revolution_. It’s gotten out of hand, even the governments couldn’t control the chaos. The number of casualties increases every day. This is where Overwatch steps in. The plan was to have Commander Morrison and his strike team go directly to the center of the chaos and put a stop to the rising terrorist group. Other agents were to provide support to the civilian populations, avoid any more casualties, and prevent anyone getting caught in the crossfires. You would have been doing the same if it wasn’t for the change in your role. Now you’ll have to go and face the real dangers as part of the strike team. Morrison and Reyes are leading the attack, while you and Reinhardt follow behind providing support if needed. Ana’s job is to cover for everyone as a sniper. Go in, apprehend the terrorist group, quick and simple.

“Our top priority is taking down _The Revolution_. We don’t have a lot of intel, so expect heavy fire. Keep your guard up and watch each other’s back.” The shuttle lands in the middle of the large town square, everyone starts grabbing their gear before heading out. You

The shuttle lands in the middle of the large town square, everyone starts grabbing their gear before heading out. You arrive to the scene with hopes of saving lives and resolving the conflict. Yet you’re faced with despair. Evidence of destruction could be seen everywhere. Any progress of reconstruction from the war is almost nonexistent as the streets and buildings are in ruins. The smell of smoke clogs the air. Explosions setting off in the distance. People are moving around in a hurry. Some trying to get out of harm’s way. Some causing the harm. You’ve seen your share of war zones, but never been on one. Your heart aches at the sight of something similar when the waris supposed to be over and you can only hope Overwatch can put a stop to it.

“I’m in position. I’ll be watching your backs out there.” 

“Acknowledged. Alright strike team, let’s move.” 

You stick close to Reinhardt as the two of you follow Jack and Reyes through the streets. The Revolution’s headquarters is located near the edge of town. A couple of blocks away from the base, Jack signals for you and Reinhardt to stay put. You nod and obey, watching the other two go on ahead.

“Nervous?” 

“Huh? Oh, I’m alright.”

“There’s nothing to be worried about. We’ll keep you safe.”

Reinhardt’s sincere words warmed your heart. The two of you made small talk, from things like the weather and hopes for a successful mission. Ten minutes later, you check your supplies for the fourth time today, making sure everything was in order. Basic first aid kit, check. Surgical equipment, check. Fluid replenishments, check. Pistol, check and safely tucked in its holster. Soon enough, Jack updates on his situation.

“We’re in. The back entrance has been clear, the area should be safe enough for you two to move closer.”

“Right away. Let’s go rookie.”

“I’m right behind you.”

Just as you and Reinhardt reach the back of the building, the sound of gunfire and yelling breaks out. ‘ _Intruders, find them!’_ Static fills the comms before you hear a pained groan. Your heart jumps into your throat. If you weren’t nervous earlier, you definitely are now. It wasn’t long until you hear Jack’s voice again.

“Shit they noticed us and Gabriel’s hit. We needed medical support.”

“What’s your position?”

“We’re hiding out in the storage room, the second hallway, eastern end of the building.”

You look to Reinhardt for direction as anxiety settles in the pit of your stomach. He gives you a small reassuring smile.

“It’s too risky if we both go from the back. I’ll distract the enemy from the front while you rush to the storage room.”

“Will you be okay?”

“Surrounded and outnumbered? I live for fights like these!”

You were still hesitant until a familiar voice pops up in the comms.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be keeping my eye on him. Good luck out there.”

You felt more assured that Reinhardt would be okay with Ana watching his back, with a nod the two of you split up.The back door was cleared, like Jack said, but someone could still be patrolling around inside, especially when they’re on high alert. Placing your hand on the door handle, you’re unsure if you should open it. Your other hand lands on your gun, you would only use it if you have to. And in this situation, you might need to. Without a second thought, you open the door with one hand, gun ready to fire in the other. Nothing, no one was guarding the back entrance, but you hear talking coming from a room nearby.

“Any word from the Numbani group?”  

“No, nothing from Seattle either.”

A boisterous laughter rings out from afar. It causes you to jump, scaring the living daylights out of you. But you recognize that voice. It’s Reinhardt. “It came from outside!” You put your guard up again when you hear voices in the room shouting in frenzy. A number of footsteps go from walking to running and things get louder as you hear numerous people rushing towards the front of the building. You wait for silence before moving, hugging the wall with a gun ready in hand. Second hallway, east. Not a soul in sight, Reinhardt’s distraction must have worked. A few minutes later, you reach the door labeled ‘Storage Room’.

“Jack I’m here, outside the storage room.”

“Alright, I’ll let you in.”

The door clicks and opens. Jack steps aside, letting you walk inside. Shelves of boxes cover the walls. It was a fairly small room, just enough space for three people. Reyes was on the ground, hunched and leaning against the shelves. He looks up at you. You immediately rush to his side when you see his pained expression. Your face pales. It didn’t sit right with you. Reyes shouldn’t be hunched on the ground, sweat on his brows, and hand tightly pressing against his stomach. He should on his feet, greeting you with his usual smug grin.

“Where is he hit?”

“Abdominal area, handgun. Probably a 9mm bullet.”

“Lay him on the ground, I’ll prep for surgery just in case.”

You tug your pack off your shoulders and lay all the necessary materials on the ground, next to Reyes. Jack helps you remove Reyes’s clothing and body armor. The amount of blood soaking his jacket scares you. You harden yourself before putting on sterilized gloves and a mask to examine the wound. An abdominal shot, severe bleeding with clear symptoms of internal bleeding. You quickly turn on the portable x-ray and scan over the wound. Luckily, the bullet didn’t destroy any vital organs. It must have scratched the stomach’s surface to have caused the internal bleeding. _Thank God_. But it would be risky to leave the bullet in, the chances of infection and further damage is too high. Removal of the bullet and cleaning of the wound would be the best course of action to take. You tell Jack this and he nods. “Alright, do what you need. I’ll go help Reinhardt, lock the door. We’ll come back for you after things are settled.” As he is about to leave, you call out to him.

“Good luck. And please be careful.”

He gives you a quick ‘acknowledged’, before closing the door. You lock it and look back to Reyes. He looks pissed at the fact that he’s on the ground and Jack went on without him, but in his state, you know he can’t argue.

* * *

One of the reasons you’re the best of the medical field is the fact that you’re fast and efficient. Your operation times are faster than most, perhaps even faster than all medics. In less than an hour, you have removed the bullet and patched up the wound. Reyes is in stable condition. As you clean up and begin packing the equipment, you hear Reyes getting up. He’s on his feet before you could stop him.

“You shouldn’t be moving, I literally just removed a bullet from you.”

“I’m fine, let’s just finish what we’re here to do.”

His tone strongly suggests that he wouldn’t listen even if you tried to stop him. So you pack up and follow his lead. The building was quiet, too quiet. You start to worry. What happened to Jack and Reinhardt? Suddenly, the sound of heavy footsteps breaks the silence. It grows louder and louder, indicating something coming closer. Reyes steps in front of you. You both hold up your guns, locked and loaded, ready to fire.

“My friends! It’s good to see you all well.”

A wave of relief washes through all of you as Reinhardt steps into view, Jack right behind him. You’re glad they’re okay, but it didn’t stop you from asking.

“Are you guys okay? No one is injured right?”

“What happened? It’s unusually quiet out here,” Gabriel questioned, watching you step forward to check on Reinhardt and Jack. Another presence steps out of the shadows.

“Let’s just say ‘Mission Complete’.”

Ana walks towards the group with a small smirk on her face. You take care of minor wounds as Ana explains how they had taken care of the mission. While Reinhardt lured out most of the terrorists with his laughter, she had called in for reinforcements. Together, they had surrounded the building and arrested the leader. Jack came mid-fight, but didn’t do much apparently. Ana ends with “Once again the adults have to do everything around here.” Reinhardt laughs and you hear two grunts. Tilting your head, you see Jack and Reyes sulking at an apparent inside joke Ana had made. The fighting and violence had stopped outside as well. What’s left is to clean up and restore peace. Like Ana had said, _mission complete_.

For the rest of the day, you went around treating injuries, helping the civilian population. The others went to meet with the governments and reinforce peace. For another day, things continued this way before you all head back to the Swiss headquarters. On the way back, Jack stands in the center of the shuttle, talking about having a celebration for a job well done. He goes on praising everyone for their work. You were only half-listening as you tried to stay awake. All the work had tired you out and you’ve been up for more than 12 hours without caffeine. Before you could rest your eyes, you heard your name being called. Reyes, who sat next to you, looks at you before mumbling something under his breath.

“What?”

“I said thanks for patching me up,” he huffs and looks away right after. You smiled, accepting his thanks before finally passing out. Well, all's well that ends well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Then I ended it a bit too quick


	4. Things are finally going somewhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A certain dad dating game distracted me from this, whoops

The moment you open your eyes, you notice it was dark outside. Moonlight poured through the windows, highlighting part of your room. You sit up on your bed, wondering how you ended up here. The last thing you remembered was falling asleep on the ride back from the mission. From the corner of your eye, you notice the glow of the electronic clock on your nightstand. The clock reads 7:45, you’ve slept roughly 20 hours away. A knock at the door forces you out of bed. Your limbs move slowly but surely as you step across the cold floor. The light from the hallway blinds your sight when you open the door. After blinking a few times, you see Ana waiting outside.  

“Sleep well? Sorry if I woke you but it wouldn't be fair if you missed the party.”

 “The party?”

“It was Jack’s idea.” 

You vaguely recall hearing something about that on the shuttle. Ana hurries you to get ready, which you do hastily. A few minutes later you step out of your room, feeling and looking refreshed. Ana nods approvingly and escorts you to the lounge. The lounge is a place where agents can come together and relax, as Jack described it. It’s a semi-circular building located behind the dormitories. A large white couch sat in the middle of the room along with two recliners. A wide glass coffee table was placed in between. One side of the room was covered with cabinets and countertops, all stored with snacks and drinks. Groups of tables and chairs sat near the large windows. There’s a sink, a small microwave oven, and a refrigerator too. The back side was the entertainment center. A large 50’ TV screen hanged off the wall with large stereos circling half of the room. Needless to say, the lounge was pretty incredible. A boisterous cheer pops out as you and Ana open the doors to the lounge. It nearly causes you to jump out of your skin. Numerous people surrounded the entrance.

“There you are! Can’t start this party without the rookie!”

Reinhardt laughs, pushing you inside. Ana walks along and explaining the event.

“This is also Jack’s idea, he thought we should also have a welcome party for the new recruit.”

“Oh,” was all you could muster out, you’re speechless. Before you could let the shock settle, you were surrounded by agents thanking you and praising your skill. You remember working with them during the mission.

“I heard you performed surgery in the middle of the enemy base. That’s amazing!”

“Your skills were much appreciated, a lot of lives were saved.”

“Thanks for patching up my injuries back there!”

A drink was put in your hand and you were moved to the large couch in the center of the room. Things were happening so fast. Though eventually, you were left alone on the couch when the food arrived. You sip your drink while trying to get a bearing on your surroundings. Everyone was crowding the countertops where Jack and a few others came in with boxes of pizza and trays of Swiss gourmet. You notice Reyes sitting alone near the window. He was quietly sipping on his drink. As soon as he notices you staring, you look away. Then you remembered that you have yet to check up on him. You worry about his wounds, but approaching him would be the hardest part. Scenarios play in your head. What was the smoothest, not-awkward-at-all way to greet him?

“Not going to eat?”

In the midst of your thoughts, you didn’t notice Jack sitting down next to you. He was holding two plates of Tartiflette. One plate was held out in your direction.

“Uhh,” your stomach grumbles, finishing your sentence for you. You meekly take the plate as Jack chuckles. The Tartiflette not only looks good but tastes even better. Creamy golden potatoes cooked alongside smoked bacon and thinly sliced onions. All crowned with a perfect layer of cheese.

“Thanks for the party, I heard it was your idea. I never had a welcome party before.”

“We’re glad to have you on the team and you did well on your first mission. You deserve it.”

A smile crossed your face as you thank him again for such high praise before enjoying the cheesy heaven of the Tartiflette melting your taste buds.

“So… When did you and Gabriel get friendly with each other?”

You almost choke on your food. The obscurity of Jack’s sudden question caught you off guard. You look at him, hoping for some explanation. He just stared at his food as if trying to avoid eye contact. The smile on his face had fallen. You try to think up a sensible answer, but you’re still reeling from the question. After what felt like an eon, he gets up from the couch in a hasty fashion. “Forget what I said, it’s… it’s probably the alcohol talking. I should go tend to.. things.”

Jack escaped before you could utter a word, leaving you by yourself again. You just sit there, feeling completely confused. A shifting noise came from your right, you look to see Reyes sitting in a recliner across from the couch. When did he get here?

“You and Jack seem really close.”

THIS SHIT AGAIN?

“What?”

You tilt your head, trying to formulate a logical explanation for what's going on. Is everyone drunk? Reyes waits a minute before looking up from his drink, but it seems like he rather make eye contact with his can of beer than look at you.

“I guess we are? He's the one who recruited me after all. We kept in touch during my transition over to Overwatch.”

Reyes nods along before taking a sip of his beer. The two of you mull over the growing silence. He moves to get up. It's obvious he isn't satisfied with your answer, he’s like a child who won’t ask questions when something doesn't make sense. A child that wants to solve problems by themselves rather than ask for help. On the other hand, you weren't that type of child and you're not going to let this thing happen twice.

“Hold on, we’re not done here.”

He stops mid-rise to raises an eyebrow at you. You continue, “First of all, how are your wounds? Are you experiencing any lingering pain? No infections?”

Reyes rolls his eyes before pulling the hem of his shirt up to reveal his stitches, your handiwork. You took a long gander at his wound, perhaps too long. But from the looks of it, no signs of infection and the wound is healing quite nicely. You let out a breath of relief.

“I'm fine Doc.”

You nod, trying to forget how sweet the nickname sounded and definitely trying to swat away any _inappropriate_ thoughts where said nickname would be used. He releases the hold of his shirt, letting it fall and hid away the show of skin. Before you could feel disappointed, you move to the next question. “Also why did you want to know about Jack and me?”

He slowly moves his gaze from you to his drink. You wait for his answer, thinking that perhaps this could also explain why Jack asked something similar earlier. All of a sudden, he takes a long swig of his beer, finishing it.

“You were still asleep when we got back here. Jack disapproved any action to wake you.”

You could feel both of your eyebrows rising, that's the first time you heard about this. Reyes grunts and crashes the can of beer in his fist. He seems defeated, eyes downcast and a scowl appeared on his face.

“And he’s the one who carried you back to your room.”

And with that, Reyes walks away. You watch him toss his crushed can in the recycle and leave the lounge. The door shuts behind him but the sound of his departure was muffled by the loud chatter and rambling of the party. So Jack carried you back to your room. That explains why you woke up in your room. But you wonder why he didn’t just wake you? You look around for Jack. But when you scanned the room, he was nowhere to be found. The party was still in full motion, laughter and mixed conversations filled the room as music softly plays in the background. Suddenly, you remember you haven't written or turned in a report on the mission yet. Not to mention that there's probably a bunch of paperwork that needs to be reviewed too. You decided to retreat to your room as soon as you finish your food and drink.

“Enjoying the party?”

Ana comes up to you as you throw away the plastic plate and cup in its respective trash cans. She leans against the countertop with arms crossed and an inquisitive smile on her face. You do a slight nod with your head.

“The party’s fine, it's just that I remembered that I haven’t done the mission report yet and there's probably a lot of paperwork waiting for me.”

“I see.” The tone matches with the look on Ana’s face, they all seemed to be amused about what you said.

“Have you seen Jack? I have a few things to ask him.”

“He left minutes ago, said he had some paperwork to do as well.”

“Oh.” _Oh._

Ana shrugs, but her amused expression never left her face.

“Seems like our top two commanders have taken a special interest in the new recruit.”

“...What do you mean?”

“Don't tell me you haven't noticed.”

You tilt your head, trying to find the evidence to Ana’s statement. You’ve become good friends with Jack, but that's mainly because he’s assigned to make sure you grow into your role properly. However, the two of you do get along well. But nothing really comes to mind when it comes to Reyes. You're not even sure what you are to him. He took you out once to “exchange pleasantries” and he teases you during the combat lessons you had with him. Outside of that, you rarely see him, let alone exchange words. It feels like the both of you are nothing more than coworkers. But that effect is fully your own fault, you’ve avoided him and turned him down whenever he invited you out. To you, it felt like the proper thing to do. You couldn't let this feeling of endearment grow any bigger. It's not appropriate, especially for this type of job. There isn't time for love when you have more important things to worry about.

“Back on the shuttle home…”

Ana cuts in on your thoughts. Regardless you nod, curious where this leads to. Looks like a lot happened on that shuttle back home.

“You fell asleep on Gabriel’s shoulder. Normally he would have woken you up or pushed you off. But he didn't. If I didn't know better, I’d say he actually has taken a liking to you.”

Heat rises to your cheeks. The thought of you falling asleep on Reyes and him liking you overclocks your brain. You can’t seem to organize your thoughts as the loud thumping of your heart fills your ears. Ana snickers, she noticed your dilemma.

“But that’s just the thoughts of a silly old woman.”

You shake your head, huffing at Ana’s comment.

“You are not old Ana, we’re practically almost the same age.”

She laughs and pats you on the shoulder before walking off. You’re left with your thoughts. An epiphany dawns upon you. This whole time you’ve only thought about yourself, but you never realized the meanings behind Reyes’s action. How he had felt when you turned him down and avoided him. The gap between you two only spread when he decided to let you be. You curse at yourself. Looks like things are going to get complicated but there’s someone you need to talk to tonight.

* * *

 Gabriel should have expected this and he should just push away the head leaning against his shoulder. But, for some reason, he doesn't bother to. A voice in his head urges him to let you be, another voice suggests using this as an opportunity. So he adjusts himself, letting the sleeping figure next to him to lean comfortably on the edge his shoulder. Not too high that your hair irritates his neck and not too low that your head would slide off his shoulder.

He can feel multiple pairs of eyes on him. People will talk. Ana would probably spread those stories. Jack definitely is not too happy, and that is exactly what Gabriel is hoping for. He could already feel the petulant annoyance radiating from the man sitting just a few feet away. A sense of superiority emerges as Gabriel decides to take a victory nap.

Though how hard he tries, he can’t sleep. Instead, Gabriel glances at the head leaning against his shoulder. He wonders what caused you to fall asleep. If you even slept at all during this mission. Gabriel moves his gaze from your head to your shoes, they were scuffed with dirt and appears rather worn-in despite being quite new. He wonders what you’ve been doing since you two separated. If you got hurt or ran into any trouble. Thoughts lead to more thoughts. He wants to hear you talk, missing your voice and the enthusiastic tone you carry. The last time he had a real conversation with you was at the bar on the day of your arrival. It feels like that was ages ago. He looks at your hands last. They rest on your lap, one hand on the top of the other. He has to resist the urge to hold them, to feel the softness of them, to rest his on top of yours. It takes a while for Gabriel to realize what these types of thoughts are. He shakes them off, trying desperately for the remaining of the ride to rest his eyes.

An hour or so later, the shuttle settles down on the landing zone in the Switzerland Headquarters. Gabriel opens his eyes to the sounds of people getting ready to leave. He looks to the right, seeing your head still leaning against his shoulder. He can feel his arm getting numb from restricted movement. But before Gabriel could wake you, Jack steps in and stops him.

“I’ll take it from here.”

His tone was shockingly strict and direct, it renders Gabriel speechless and compliant to obey. Jack bends down and picks you up with little to no effort. Gabriel watches him walk out of the shuttle, carrying the still-sleeping recruit in his arms. A small twinge grows in Gabriel’s heart. He growls at it and shoves any growing thoughts away. When Jack is out of view, he gets up and walks out of the shuttle, with his hands shoved into his hoodie pocket and a scowl on his face. Even with things going as planned, an unexpected taste of defeat lingers in the back of his mouth.


	5. Turning Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A problem is finally solved

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am alive! I apologize for the long wait. I'm sure it's confirmed that I am a slow, a very slow writer. Of course, there are other factors but never mind that.

Gabriel walks in the direction of his room after strolling around the base to clear his head. He doesn’t know why he’s feeling so frustrated, he just is. At least that’s what he’s been telling himself. He scowls for at least the sixth time today as he remembers the flustered look on your face when he mentioned that Jack had carried you to your room. Those warm, pink-dusted cheeks and wide starry eyes. Part of him wants to scold Jack for being unprofessional and too attached to the recruit (completely ignoring the fact that he acts the same way). Part of him wishes those pink cheeks and starry eyes weren’t caused by Jack but himself and that they were for him to call his own. A curse runs out of his mouth. What he would do for a drink right now. Something to cloud the thoughts that persist in his mind.

* * *

 

“What are you doing stand outside my door?” 

 

Your head whips around at an unspeakable speed, colliding against something firm and solid. What happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object? The answer is catastrophic damage. For a good minute, you wither in agonizing pain. Before the pain even subdues, you immediately start spewing out apologies, noticing that it was Reyes you had bumped into. He takes a moment to look over you. You do the same, hoping no actual bruising is caused by your little accident. Luckily none of you seem to have an injury higher than a minor head bump. Then you remembered that you haven’t answered his question and that you were stand in front of his door, blocking the entrance. You quickly move aside. “I was looking for you. I thought you might be in your room.” 

 

“If you need something, I’m sure it can wait until tomorrow,” he grumbles, then proceeds to retreat into the safety of his room. But, you grab onto his arm, stopping him in his tracks. 

 

“Wait, I need to talk to you.” 

 

He couldn't stop himself from retorting. “We talked plenty at the party.” 

 

You flinch at his harsh tone and he instantly regrets opening his mouth. Nonetheless, your hold on his arm doesn't waver. In fact, it tightens. “It’s important.”

* * *

He doesn’t look at you, knowing that if he did he’d surrender to you immediately. Despite that, he moves away from the door frame, signaling you to enter. You release his arm with a breath of relief and walk into his room. Gabriel walks in after you, the door closes behind him. He doesn't even bother turning on the lights. The only source of light comes from the windows on the other side of the room. He leans against the door, arms crossed and an inquisitive expression dawned on his face. “So what did you want to discuss?”

 

He could see you tense up, your shoulders scrunched up and hesitation in your words. 

 

“I… I like to apologize for ‘unintentionally bothering’ you back in that shuttle. I heard from Ana that you don't…”

 

A pause, your eyebrows knit together as if you’re trying to come up with the proper word in your head. Nothing comes and silence fills up the room. Disappointment ran through Gabriel, this was a waste of time. There’s no use of bringing this up again. “It's fine, what's done is done. It doesn't even matter anymore. Was that — ” 

 

“It matters!”

 

Your sudden outburst surprises Gabriel. It was the first time he had heard you raise your voice with such a strong tone. You quickly regain your composure and repeat your words in a softer voice. Unlike a second ago, Gabriel could barely hear it. 

 

“It matters..” 

 

You avoid eye contact. A tint of red becoming visible on your face. He waits for an explanation, watching you desperately try to come up with something. 

* * *

“Be… Because… you didn't push me away…” Something clicked, like finally solving a rubix cube or finding the last piece of a puzzle. You repeated yourself to make sure it was the right piece. “You didn't push me away.” Clarity rang in your voice for the first time. It clicked, like remembering something you’ve forgotten. It was overwhelming, all your pushed back feelings come rushing at once. A wave of words climbs up your throat, threatening to overflow. You had to let them go or you would choke. Words flew out of your mouth like a storm letting loose in this room of his.  

 

“There's something about you that pulls me towards you like a force stronger than anything I've ever felt in my life. That night at the bar, I felt something change in me. Hearing your stories about the dangerous battles you’ve fought, the risks you took, and all the lives you’ve saved by your actions. I felt the humanity in you. I wanted to be like you. To save people, to bring global stability. It reminded me why I agreed to join Overwatch for. It was to find purpose, to do better. But it was you who gave me purpose and it was you who motivated me to be better. These feelings... I didn’t think it was appropriate. So I pushed my feelings away, came up with excuses, and avoided you and probably hurt you. I thought I should focus on other things and these… these feelings would go away but… They didn’t. Nothing has changed. I still like you. I like you.

 

You pause, trying to catch your breath, but you also catch the look of disbelief on Reyes’s face. A terrible ache grows in your chest, crushing your heart and squeezing it so hard it feels like it’s going to burst. You look down, scared and regretting every word that came out of your mouth. What were you thinking? This has been a huge mistake. There’s nothing but static thoughts running through your head, it rings through your ears, making it hard to hear. Quickly your vision scatters, you try to find an anchor, something — _ anything _ — to focus on. You start forgetting how to breath. Was it in and out or out and in? What breath are you on? Your throat, you just noticed how dry it was, it feels like a desert is in there and you’d do anything for a drop of water. Suddenly, you see a pair of shoes stepping closer to you. By natural human instinct, you hug yourself, trying to become smaller. If you could, you would have disappeared. Reyes slowly inches towards you, you’re not sure what he’s up to but you can’t think properly either way. He stops inches away from you. When his hands gently grab your shoulders, you wish you were stronger because any second now, you’d just collapse into his arms. 

 

“Look at me.” 

 

His voice was barely audible, but it was stern and dominating. It commands you to obey. You tilt your head up slowly. As soon as your eyes meet, your breath is caught in your throat. His eyes were steadily fixed on yours, unblinking and staring straight at you. You feel so vulnerable, so open and naked. It felt like he could see right through you and hear your every thought. Lines appear between his eyebrows, to you, it looked like signs of pity. You quickly bite your lower lip, forcing any upcoming tears down. As soon as Reyes’s mouth opens to speak, you cut him off. Trying to beat him to the rejection. 

 

“I know! I… I know this is highly inappropriate. I mean, this isn’t high school or some office romance. We don’t have time for this type of nonsense, especially right after a war. We have too much work to do, there so much more important things than love. What was I thinking right? I… I’m sorry…”

 

At this point, you were half-heartedly laughing at yourself, trying to lighten the mood. Your laugh was cut short as you’re lunged forward into familiar arms. Your face is pressed against his shoulder. Reyes’s arms circle around you, keeping you tight against him. This is probably the closest you’ve ever gotten to him. Tears pool up and start spilling out, wetting the soft fabric of the shirt pressing against your face. An urge to wipe them away fills you, but you can't move your arms while they're locked in place by Reyes’s tight embrace. You continuously try to break free from his hold, knowing this will only make things worse. But you can't. 

 

“Please let me go. Please.”

 

You repeat those words over and over again. But each time you say them, they losing strength until it’s nothing but a quiet whisper, barely audible to even yourself. He doesn't move. Not a word came out of his mouth. You give up, letting yourself just melt into him. Quiet sobs escape, like gentle raindrops falling after a storm. There, in his arms, everything felt so wrong, everything felt so right. Nothing but conflict and confusing emotions filled you, yet you found comfort and safety in his arms. Soon, the sobs reduce down to soft sniffles.

 

“So… you like me?”

 

Within a second, you threw yourself back, your newfound strength breaks out of his hold. You stare at him with a clenched fist, ready to aim. “Are you serious?”

 

“No, I…”

 

A frustrated breath escapes Reyes, he pauses trying to come up with the proper excuse for his previous words. Patience is a virtue but you don’t want to be patient. Especially when you’ve backed away from the comfort of his touch. You can feel things becoming embarrassingly awkward by the passing second. The thought of giving him a wake-up punch sounds tempting and when you were about to put your plan into play, he leans towards you. His hand lands on top of your fist, you can feel it release under his touch. 

 

“It’s just that… I feel the same way.” 

 

Flabbergasted, if there were any situations that use this word. This would be one of them. That was the first thing you felt. The second thing was gratification, then confusion, and finally skepticism. “You do…?”

 

Reyes puts on a look of hurt. He slumps, easing his body closer to you and softly lands his head on your shoulder. He angles himself to meet your eyes. With a sigh, he mumbles, “do I have to repeat myself?”

 

A wave of blood rush to your face. Out of embarrassment, you move your gaze away from his head resting on your shoulder, choosing to stare at your hands only to remember that his hand was still over yours. Timidly, you shake your head and whispered a voice-cracking ‘no’ as to clarify. You clear your throat, hoping such a sound would never escape your lips  _ ever _ again. Reyes chuckles, you take a moment to appreciate it. How the sound rumbles through his chest and the contagious ring of it. 

 

“So, does this mean I can finally take you out for dinner?”

 

Your blush deepens, a pang of guilt came along with it. Quickly, you nod your head. Choosing not to speak in case your throat was still acting up. 

 

“How does Thursday sound?” 

 

Thursday, you remember it being a vacation day for the agents who went on the mission. No pressing assignments, no important meetings, and best of all, no paperwork. Your eyes light up and with lips curved into a smile, you pull your gaze up towards Reyes. 

 

“Thursday sounds perfect.”

 

Later that moment, you cursed at the darkness. You cursed at the clouds or whatever had covered the beautiful light of the moon. Because you could have sworn you saw a soft shade of red painted his face. But, you know for sure, the smile was real. 


	6. Sehnsucht

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't mean for this to get so long, whoops

When you thanked Jack for carrying you back to your room, he bashfully rubbed his neck and said that he was just looking out for his soldiers. You wonder if that’s why he was promoted to Strike Commander instead Reyes (though Reyes would have been equally good of a choice too). Speaking of Reyes, you miss him. He had been called to attend to some urgent business a few countries away. It’s been a few days but his absence left a hole in your day to day life. Seeing him every day, even just a glance, motivated you to work harder. You could only hope that Thursday comes quicker.

 

“Doing anything tomorrow?”

 

You turn your attention to Jack. The two of you are doing your daily laps around the base. Your endurance and physical abilities improved immensely since the first day of training. Now you’re able to run side by side with him. But it’s obvious that he’s barely putting in any effort. You’ve seen how fast he run when he actually tries.

 

“Just dinner plans. I’m free before then though, was there anything planned? Don’t tell me there was an important meeting that had completely slipped my mind.”

 

“No, nothing like that. I was just curious. Who are you having dinner with?”

 

“With... Reyes.” Each word came out meekly, you’re unsure what to call him. Would it be okay to call him Gabriel? It seems a bit inappropriate considering he’s still your superior.

 

“With Gabriel…?”

 

“Mhm.”

 

_Gabriel_ , the name rolls around your tongue. It’s such a beautiful name. You wonder if he was named after the Archangel Gabriel. _Heroic and Strong_. A warm feeling coils in your stomach. It took a few seconds for you to notice that Jack wasn’t at your side. That has never happened before. Looking behind your shoulders, you see Jack slowly jogging behind you. He looks as if he’s lost in thought.

 

“Jack?”

 

His head snaps up, a surprised expression on his face.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine…”

 

He gives you a forced smile. You take note of it.

 

“I didn’t expect you and Gabriel… How did the two of you get so close?”

 

“Oh… well… umm...”

 

Now that you think about it, you didn’t ask Reyes whether or not you should mention your relationship to anyone. What even is your relationship with Reyes now? You know your feelings for each other are mutual but...

 

Jack notices the reluctance you hold when trying to answer the question.

 

“Forget it, it’s probably none of my business. Should we call it quits for today?”

 

He walks away before you could reply. You watch him go, not sure what you're supposed to do. His expression is barely visible when he looks back, but it seemed like he was about to say something. However, he turns away and walks into the base.

* * *

 Pellets of water beat down onto his hair and flow down his face. Jack feels heavy and it’s not because of the water showering down on him. His hand is pressed against the bathroom walls for support. It’s as if he would fall over if he stood on his own. Conflicting thoughts battle in his head. Why Gabe? Jack knows him, he knows Gabriel would never give his attention to recruits unless they were assigned to him personally. It wasn’t like Gabriel to get so close to someone like you. So why you?

 

But if Gabriel did like you, shouldn’t Jack give him support? After all, Jack owes him so much. Gabriel had been by his side ever since the early days of the Omnic Crisis. Jack remembers his first meeting with Gabriel. How a veteran soldier comforted someone like him, a kid who was barely hanging on. The soldier enhancement program was harsh, it would have beaten him if not for Gabriel. He could say the same for the war. Gabriel saved his ass so many times, he had lost count. Jack should repay him for all those years… right?

 

Then he remembers the blissful expression on your face when you mentioned Gabriel.

 

Jack shuts off the water but doesn’t move to step out of the shower. He stands there, mulling over the water dripping off his hair and face. The warm steam gets colder, not that it affects him. His skin has become thick as armor. Each bullet he took, each scar he received, each battle he fought, it made him stronger. He wasn’t a farm boy anymore. Yet he feels broken. He feels like he’s back in rural Indiana again, a teenager with a broken heart. It makes him feel human, something he hasn’t felt in so long after becoming something less than human. He’s weak, emotionally. Then perhaps getting past this will make him stronger, emotionally.

* * *

Gabriel’s shuttle comes back tonight and Jack wanted to talk to him as soon as he lands. That was his goal but upon seeing your figure waiting at the landing site, he lost all courage to take a step further. Instead, he comes up with excuses. There were still reports waiting to be written on his desk anyway. ‘Tomorrow,’ he promises to himself. _Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow._ It plays over and over in his head, trying to forget the aching hole opening in his chest. If he hears it enough, maybe the courage he lost could be rebuilt.

 

The next day, he hands Gabriel two tickets. They would have been useless in his own hands.  

 

“You call me out on my day off just to give me tickets? Tickets to-“

 

Gabriel takes a moment to read the piece of paper.

 

“To an art museum?”

 

“They expire next month, so go before then.” Jack tries to put emotion in his words, but they sound more monotonous than he would have liked. Gabriel raises an eyebrow, Jack can see the theories running through his head. It was just like Gabriel to try to come up with explanations for things he didn’t understand.

 

“Alright. Anyways, do you know any good restaurants nearby?”

 

Jack can feel his eye twitch, a bitterness forms in his mouth it matches the tone of his words. “Why?” _You know damn well ‘why’ Jack Morrison._ Yet Jack can’t help but feign ignorance.

 

Gabriel stares at him for a moment, then shakes his head. “Never mind then. If there’s nothing else, I’ll get going.” He watches Gabriel throw a playful salute to him and heads for the door. Once the man was out the door, Jack lets out a long breath. He could have been the bigger man and give Gabriel advice on what kind of restaurant you would like but he doesn’t. There are still things he would like to have for himself.

* * *

7:30 pm, a knock comes to your door. Upon opening it, you see Reyes dressed in a dark navy blue button-up shirt. A jacket is hanging off on one of his arms. You can’t help but notice that the first two buttons are pop opened, exposing parts of his collarbone. Reyes looks great in his usual uniform and he looks even better out of it. You start feeling self-conscious about yourself. It’s been so long since you’ve been on a date. The last date you had was years ago, before becoming a doctor. You could barely remember it. After joining the medical field you only thought about work. And after that, war broke out. Going a date seemed so surreal, peace and quiet seemed surreal. You didn’t have any fancy clothes. The only thing you could wear that was “date-worthy” is the casual-formal attire that was pushed way back in your closet.

 

“Ready to go?”

 

The bags under his eyes were more noticeable than the ones you saw last night. You remember how worn out he was when he stepped off the jet yesterday. Reyes was too tired to even talk, he replied to you in grunts and mumbled words. Exhaustion practically radiated off of him. So you helped him to bed and ordered him to get some shut-eye. But it seems like he didn’t follow your orders. You think about rescheduling the dinner for another day for his sake. As much as you didn’t want to, it is your job as a doctor to choose the _healthiest_ option for him.

 

Reyes speaks up from your hesitation. “I hope you’re not postponing our dinner _again_.”

 

His emphasis on _again_ pricks you with guilt.

 

“No, of course not… Do I look okay? I hope I’m not too underdressed or overdressed.”

 

His eyes quickly look at you up and down. “Yeah, you look okay.”

 

The corners of your mouth were struggling to frown, but you kept a small smile on your face. You hoped for more than that, a stronger compliment at least. But Reyes walks on ahead without another word. You follow behind.

 

Reyes takes you to a restaurant that is about a forty minute drive from the base. The first thing you noticed about it was the large glass windows. _Sehnsucht_ was written above the front doors in big black letters. It’s a small but pristine restaurant. As you enter through the double doors you’re greeted by mouth-watering smells and the sound of silverware clinking. A restaurant attendant takes you both to your table. You are seated at a white-clothed table with deep brown cushion seats. The table was next to a window displaying a beautiful night sky and the moonlit waters of Lake Zurich.

 

“Wow, this place is gorgeous. How did you find this restaurant?”

 

“I did a bit of searching.”

 

He says it as if there’s more than what he lets on. You playfully roll your eyes and open up the black-leather menu. There are so many delicious options to choose from. Not a second later, a waitress brings you glasses of ice water. She takes your menus after jotting down your orders and leaves with a small bow.

 

“So… how was your trip?”

 

“It went well, but it’s always a bore listening to politicians go on and on about how great their countries are and what they did for the war efforts. It doesn’t matter which country did what. What matters is the efforts of soldiers and people who sacrificed themselves for peace and the future. But other than that, it was good. Wish I could have gone sightseeing. I heard Spain has some of the prettiest ocean views.”

 

You nod along to his words. The irritation, the slight disappointment, his emotions ring so clearly in his voice. Gabriel Reyes was a name many have heard of. Super soldier, badass, respected veteran, he had so many labels. But listening to him talk makes him so much more human. It made you want to see more sides of him.

 

A waiter struts up to your table, a bottle of wine cradled in his arms. From the well-pressed suit and the musky cologne, you assume that he is of a higher rank of the waitress who took your order. The man talks with an air of sophistication, holding out the bottle as if it is a luxurious gemstone. “The Altesino Montosoli Brunello di Montalcino 2043, well aged and well balanced. This wine is made from the Sangiovese wine grape and imported from Tuscany, Italy.”

 

A satisfying pop rings out as the well-dressed waiter pulls the cork off of the bottle with a corkscrew. Deep red wine flows into your glass as the man pours it from the bottle. “Enjoy.” The waiter places the bottle on the table before walking away to do other chores.

 

Smells of berries and vanilla wood emit from the wine before the glass even reaches your nose. Slightly flicking your wrist in miniature circles, you watch the liquor swirl inside the glass. The aromas are more noticeable. Further smelling it, you notice a hint of tobacco. You take a sip, tasting both the wild berries and herbs. It might be the drink, but you get a little bolder.

 

“I’ve been thinking and I noticed that we haven’t really confirmed what our relationship is. What are we exactly?”  

 

Gabriel shifts his attention from his wine glass to you.

 

“Well, what do you want us to be?”

 

“Huh?”

 

That caught you off guard. He suddenly shifts all the pressure onto you. You bring your glass up to your lips to take another sip of wine.

 

Romantic Partners? Too formal and too broad.

 

Lovers? Still a bit early to declare that.

 

Dating? It’s the “correct” term but it’s off. Yet you go with it when nothing else comes to mind.

 

“I suppose we’re dating…?”

 

“Then that’s our relationship.”

 

You nod, taking more sips of wine. Heat slowly raising to your face.

 

“What do we tell the others?”

 

“Answer when asked. We don’t need to publicize it.”

 

You nod again. The topic trails off to random banter. And sooner or later, the food arrives.

 

After dinner, the two of you decides to go out for a night stroll around the lake. The moon was in its crescent phase and the night sky was free of clouds. No exchange of words come between you two. Just a comfortable silence and night sounds. You can feel the cool winds blowing against your flushed face.

 

“Hey… is it okay for me to call you Gabriel?”

 

You wait for an answer and when none came, you regret spoiling the silence with your sudden question. Shame and embarrassment reheat your face.

 

“Sorry, never mind, it’s probably too soon anyway.”

 

Still no answer. You want to see what kind of expression is on his face, decipher what he’s thinking but at the same time you’re too ashamed. Unconsciously, your pace speeds up. If you could, you would just run back to your room and hide under the covers.

 

“You can call me Gabriel.”

 

His unexpected words stop you in your tracks. You twist your head towards him, searching for the truth in his words. The street lights create shadows over him.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Aren't you the one who wants to call me that?”

 

“But I don’t want to force you. If you don’t like it or if it’s uncomfortable for you then…”

 

“Just don’t say it in front of others.”

 

You understand what he’s saying and accept the restrictions. “Okay.” And since you’re already so bold. “Thanks, Gabe.” You can’t help but smile, surprised that you actually said it out loud. Gabriel almost chokes, but he quickly regains his composure and shakes his head. A hand covers his smile as he chuckles. You’re not too disappointed, hearing him laugh is enough for you. It feels like you’re on cloud nine celebrating your victory.

 

As the night goes on, the temperature drops. The once cooling wind chills you down to the bone. A shiver rattles your body. It doesn’t help that your clothes weren’t suited for colder temperatures. You rub your hands together and cross your arms, trying to generate heat. It’s not very effective. Abruptly, a jacket falls on your shoulders. Gabriel turns you around and zips up the jacket himself. You blink, trying to process what just happened in a split of a second. The shivering stopped and your skin is pressed against the soft warm fabric. You bring your head closer to the jacket and mutter a thank-you. He acknowledges it and walks ahead. You follow close behind him, not trying to hide your happiness.

 

When the clock strikes eleven, Gabriel drives you back to the base. Even though the temperature inside the car is comfortable enough for you to take off the jacket, you stubbornly hold onto it. For a while, you watch the scenery pass by through the windows. But the jacket’s warmth and smell lure you to sleep. Gabriel had to shake you awake when the two of you get back to the base.

 

“You sleep easily don’t you.”

 

Your mouth puffs into a pout as you step out of the car.

 

“I wish you slept easily, maybe then you’ll do as I say.”

 

He snorts and promises to get some shut-eye tonight.

 

“You don’t have to escort me all the way back to my room y’know.”

 

He does it anyway. Along the way, you pass by Ana who made a face of mischief and muttered something about youth. The thought of seeing her in the morning during breakfast scares you. Gabriel doesn't think much of it. Once you reach your door, you thank him for taking you out for dinner to which he replies, “it’s only natural.”

 

Taking off the jacket was the hardest thing you did tonight. It took all of the remaining energy you had to peel it off of you and hand it to Gabriel. “Thanks for this too. I had a great time.”

 

He takes the jacket from you and pulls out two tickets from the pockets. You stare at it, wondering if it had always been there and if you were supposed to find it in the pockets.

 

Gabriel holds out one of the tickets. You laugh when you finally notice the intention behind it.

 

“You planned our next date already?”

 

“I like to being prepared.”

 

“Is that so?” You grin. _How sly of him_. Taking the tickets, you notice it was for one of the places you wanted to visit when coming to Switzerland. “The Kunsthaus Zürich! I wanted to go there! How did you know?”

 

He shrugs. You laugh again and wave him goodnight before merrily getting inside your room. He watches the door shut before looking down at his own ticket and slightly crushes it. Gabriel lets out a noise of frustration and wonders how a stupid piece of paper just ruined his whole night.   



	7. Debut

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another mission, but this time, it doesn't go as smoothly

It was approximately 6 in the morning when the Strike Team and four other groups landed in a military post located within the Joint Base Lewis–McChord, a few miles southwest of Seattle. Terrorist activity had sharply risen in the US for the past couple of months. The conflict started with small acts of espionage and infiltration, either through software hacking, advanced wiretapping, or physical transpassing. It grew into threats of bombing national buildings and public areas. Though at the time, it was nothing the United States couldn’t handle with their own massive military force. However, the acts of terrorism continued to persist for months, like an endless rodent infestation. The terrorist group was—for the lack of a better word—sly. They acted randomly, appearing all over the nation, without a consistent pattern. The US government concluded each case as an individual matter done by different groups, different people. But then a single organization came out, they called themselves **Talon**. The terrorists claimed the bombing of six cities, assassination of eight politicians, and infiltration of multiple government-funded research facilities; all occurring over the course of four months. Just recently they had hinted at a plan to overtake the city of Seattle. The country responded in a massive panic. Civilians began to protest against the government and create unnecessary conflict, some even moved out of the country. The US government had no choice but to turn to Overwatch for help.

 

Unlike the last mission you were on, the Strike Team was not one cohesive group. In fact, each member of the Strike Team would lead a different group. Ana was in charge of the reconnaissance team, their job was scout and report. Any close encounter with the enemy was prohibited unless deemed necessary by circumstances. Gabriel and Jack each had a combat team, patrolling through the left or right side of the city. They’ll be responding to any sightings and taking on the enemy upfront. The last group was the Cavalry, led by Reinhardt in his Crusader armor. The Cavalry took up the back lines with emergency vehicles and trucks for transporting the terrorist group once they’re apprehended. Everyone else is stationed at the base, on standby until backup is requested.

 

“Don’t get injured this time. I won’t be there to patch you up,” you tease at Gabriel. He scoffs.

 

“I don’t go down so easily doc.”

 

You raise an eyebrow mockingly before waving him goodbye. Even though you understood why you’re on standby, you couldn’t help but feel useless. The mission wasn’t as simple as last time and the sense that this was much bigger than everyone thinks creeps up behind you. You try to shake off the overwhelming feeling of impending doom. There are more important things to focus on. Torbjorn smacks you on the back. “I guess the both of us should be getting back to work.”

 

You both walk towards the direction of the military base, you had only seen the man once and that was months ago. When you asked Reinhardt about his disappearance many lunches ago, he explained that the day you met Torbjorn he stopped by to collect his tools before leaving on a two-month vacation. You didn’t think much about it until you read a briefing about _Operation: White Dome_ out of boredom one afternoon. Everything clicked when the report went over the serious injuries Torbjorn sustained, losing an arm and eye couldn’t have been easy.

 

“How are you feeling?” You pop the question to make small talk but as a doctor, you also had the obligation to make sure your teammates are in perfect health and condition.

 

“Just fine, why do you ask?”

 

“I read about White Dome. It’s good that you took time off to rest up.”

 

He guffaws, “You think I’d take months off because of that? Don’t be ridiculous, I went home to see the birth of my daughter.”

 

“Oh! Congrats! What’s her name?”

 

“Brigitte, Brigitte Lindholm.”

 

“That’s a beautiful name, did you choose it?”

 

“Reinhardt did.”

 

Though his tone hinted at light loathing, the small smile on Torbjorn’s face suggests otherwise. It makes you smile as well.

 

* * *

 

The medical facility is smaller than you expected it to be. Instead of a separate building, like the one in the Swiss Headquarters, it’s connected to the main building of the base. Everything was on one floor. There were a few rooms labeled with the type of equipment that would be inside. A small hallway that seems to be the patient wing. Since this place was more of a watchpoint, it probably didn't need as many medical facilities. “Are you part of the Overwatch team?” An exhausted young woman asks you once you were inside the medical bay. You nod and quickly glance around, seeing some of the Overwatch medics settling in. There couldn’t be more than twenty people in the room. “Oh, I should introduce myself.” She holds out her hand and you take it. “Victoria Sang, I’m in charge of medical in this military base. Part of my team is out in the field, near the backlines. Most of them are here, on standby.”

 

When it was your turn for introductions, her expression twists in confusion. She looks at you as if trying to solve a puzzle, it wasn’t long until it clicks and she whispers loudly under her breath, “I know you! You were on the front page of _Hotline_ last year!”

 

_Hotline_ is a medical magazine that covers all the latest news within the medical field. You agreed to an interview with them after winning an award for 1k surgeries performed within a year. It was a surprising feat as general surgeons only operated, on average, 400 procedures a year. But your workload had only increased because of the civilian casualties due to war and your efficiency in the operating room, it led to many hospitals worldwide asking for your help. You traveled around but had always avoided warzones. At first, you were reluctant to accept such an award, you felt the award should go to the many medics that risked their lives to provided aid on battlefields. But you were still awarded for helping the many “externalities” of war. Victoria continues rambling, “You’re the youngest surgeon with a perfect track record. Over 1000 operations and no deaths. Your operation times are one of the fastest too. They call you a prodigy, a genius!”

 

After thanking her for her compliments, you ask if you could help with anything. Victoria snaps back to reality, realizing the situation wasn’t supposed to be so cheery. She clears her throat, “There isn’t too much to do for now. Probably a few inventory checks, but other than that we just have to wait for our cue.”

 

* * *

 

Victoria was right, there isn’t too much excitement for those on standby. You lazily flip through a lengthy list of materials while walking through the storage room for mobile surgery equipment. But in the midst of checking whether an equipment was functioning properly or not, a blaring red alarm goes off. Panic courses through your veins but you try to keep yourself together as you recall the proper lockdown procedures in your head. One, shut down the terminals and lock any important storage rooms. Two, gather the medical staff and move to the closest safe room. Three, lock any points of entry. Four… what was four? Was there even a four? You hope there wasn’t as you turn your attention back to the murmurs and whispers that filled the room. The room was big enough to fit everyone but a few dozen others would have made it cramped. Everyone was prepared for these types of situations but it didn’t stop any nerves from lingering around. Victoria was doing a headcount, making sure each medic member was present. When she gave you a thumbs up, you hush the crowd, “Let’s remain calm. Everything is under control. We can all go back to work once we receive an ‘all-clear’ from the emergency personnel.”

 

Perhaps you spoke too soon. A clank hits the other side of the metallic door, it sounded like a strong magnet sticking to a refrigerator door if you held it too close. Silence suffocates the room, every pair of eyes trained on the door. Then...

 

_Beep Beep Beep_

 

A course of beeping noises causes one word to flash through your head, _bomb._  It must have been everyone else’s thought as well as they rush to the other end of the room, trying to get away from the range of the explosion. You turn to move as well, but—

 

**_BOOM_ **

 

The force of the explosions causes you to smack face down onto the ground. You try to push yourself up but the stun of the blast renders you immobile. Not only that, your head feels like it’s about to be split open and the constant ringing stuck in your ears wasn’t helping. The room feels like it’s moving but you know it’s your sense of balance that’s being thrown off. You see a canister being tossed in front of you and white smoke spraying out from it. It seeps into your lungs, causing you to cough. A sluggish feeling passes over, you could barely keep your eyes open. A pair of black boots steps into your field of view. A hand tugs on the collar of your lab coat and pulls you up with surprising strength. You dangle from the hand like a dead prey being held up triumphantly by a predator. A scarred tan face under a gas mask was the last thing you saw before passing out.

 

* * *

 

“—looking for us... We should… next location...”

 

The ringing in your head hasn’t stopped since you woke up but you can still make out bits and pieces of the conversation in front of you. Your head hangs down with your eyes shut tight. You weren’t exactly sure what you should do in these types of situations. Not when your arms and legs are tied together and to the chair you’re sitting on. The best course of action is to pretend to be asleep until help arrives. Surely someone will come for you. Overwatch has a strong policy for teamwork and camaraderie. You just hope they come fast and soon. A pungent smell of fish fills your nose. It’s most likely you’re near a dock. The only problem is that the area around Seattle is covered with bodies of water, making it hard to distinguish where exactly you were. 

 

“I can see that you’re awake.”

 

Your breath hitches in your throat. Still, you don’t move a muscle, maybe it was a bluff. But the voice moves closer, footsteps growing louder until a hand tugs your hair up. You’re forced to look up at your captor. He wasn’t wearing a gas mask this time but you can tell it was the same person that held you up by the scars marking his tan face. You notice the biggest scar runs from his left cheek to his right eyebrow. From the looks of it, his right eye is heavily damaged. You doubt he can see well with it if he’s not completely blind in that eye. There weren't any light sources, saved for the one light bulb hanging above your head. You could barely make out his companion who is standing behind him, hidden in the shadows. The room is practically empty, it looks abandon and it’s recent occupant were you and the two others in it at the very moment. No windows and just one door at the other end of the room, it looks so far away.

 

“Eavesdropping isn’t exactly a nice thing to do.”

 

The man drops his grip on your hair. You meekly look up at him, but can’t seem to meet his eye. The thought of escape doesn’t seem possible. Trembles rack your body, is this where you die? There’s still so much left to achieve. So much you haven’t done yet. Worst of all, you haven’t given Gabriel a proper goodbye. 

 

“Aren’t you a quiet one. But if you’re smart, you must have a million thoughts running through your head,” the scar-faced man chuckles, “Don’t look so lifeless. Not a single hair on your body will get hurt if you answer all of our questions truthfully. We’ll let you go right after it’s done.”

 

You gulp. So it’s information they wanted from you, but it’s not like you’ll just give it to them. Not to mention, you’re still new to the team. It’s strange they’d target you and not one of the veteran members.

 

“Why me? I’m still new. I don’t have anything of importance that you probably wouldn't have known.”

 

He shakes his head, “Don’t sell yourself short like that. A medic is one of the most important members of the team, they know everything there is to know about each member. They would also know any weaknesses. And here you are, the head medic of Overwatch. Surely you would have access to all the important files.”

 

You can’t argue with that because it wasn’t entirely false. You do have a higher level of access because of your position. But betraying Overwatch is a choice worse than death to you. It might sound silly since you’ve only been a member for a couple of months, yet Overwatch has only treated you with kindness and respect. You’ve really enjoyed working with your colleagues. They don’t treat you like an outsider, they don’t avoid you because of your skills, unlike your previous jobs. Torbjorn, Reinhardt, Ana, Jack, Gabriel, everyone; they’re all good people. They’ve given you a place in their circle and protected you. You’re determined to do the same.

 

“No.”

 

“What?” His tone drops an octave lower, “Can you repeat that?”

 

The man bends down and meets your eyes despite you trying to avoid eye contact. He doesn’t blink, waiting for your answer with a dead stare. When you stay silent, he asks louder, “Can you repeat that?”

 

“No.”

 

It came out quieter but the effects of the word hit the scar-faced man all the same. A sigh leaves his mouth as he moves away and pinches the bridge of his nose with one hand, the other hand lands on his hips. He looks like a parent disappointed with his child’s bad behavior at school.

 

“I wish it didn’t have to go this way.”

 

“Wha—”

 

Before you could finish, a punch lands on your right cheek and immediately your head snaps to the left. The punch left you in a dizzy state, you feel your headache coming back. Black fuzzy dots spot your vision as your consciousness is fading in and out. A faint metallic taste of blood reaches your tongue, you bit your cheek when you reflexively clenched your teeth to soften the punch. Your assailant’s hand grips your jaw and his other hand playfully slaps your left cheek, causing a sharp pain to grow.

 

“Hey, don’t fall asleep on me now. Geezus, I didn’t think you’d be so weak that you'd pass out from one punch.”

 

He lets go of your jaw and just when you thought it’s over, a punch lands on your stomach. All air coughs out of your mouth and your consciousness is snapped awake with adrenaline coursing through your body.

 

“The next one will hurt.”

 

You cough, it already hurt. And though the thought of a ‘next one’ sounds terrifying, you think back to all the close-combat session you had with Gabriel. During your first lesson, he tested several types of punches on you (you were armed to the teeth in protective gear of course) and in terms of force, Gabe outranks the guy even though he was holding back then. You had to stop yourself from laughing. What were you doing, thinking about the past in a situation like this?

 

“I hope you’ll change your mind. Things will only be worse for you here on out.”

 

When there’s nothing but silence, you receive another punch. It hit above your stomach and right in the center of your solar plexus. This time the air that was knocked out doesn’t come back. Your mouth hangs open, gaping like a fish trying to breathe on land. No matter how much air you try to suck in, none of it properly goes down.

 

“Well?”

 

You ignore him and try to remember the many breathing techniques you learned in medical school. The first breaths come unevenly before you regulate it back to normal. He waits for your answer. You don’t give him a response. With a click of his tongue, he jabs you thrice on the ribs. You swear you heard a crack as the last punch lands on your rib cage, you can’t tell if it’s just a fracture or if he actually broke your bone. You really hope it’s not the latter. With one deep exhale through the nose, you ready yourself for any incoming punches. Everything hurts but maybe in time, you’ll grow numb towards the pain.

 

“Maybe it takes blood to convince you.”

 

The man in the shadows steps closer, holding out an open briefcase. Your captor moves over it, blocking your view. Regardless, it wasn’t going to be anything good. He raises one hand, showing off a spiked brass knuckle, the silver material shines dangerously in the dim light.

 

“Last chance!”

 

The volume of his voice causes you to flinch. It was a huge difference from the tone he held when speaking to you previously. But still, you gave him nothing. Your torturer turns back to you. He doesn’t do anything, just watches you with attentive eyes. He’s trying to read you, see what he would have to do to get you to talk. You hold eye contact for a while before lowering your eyes to the dusty ground. Any longer and you would have shown fear and start to break down. The wait feels like an eternity, but you rather have it that way. Enjoy the break before jumping back into the fire. You feel your eyelids growing heavy. It’s been more than 24 hours since you last slept. There was a chance for a nap during the ride to America but you keep yourself awake by reading more on the situation in Seattle. You curse at yourself for doing so instead of getting some shut-eye.

 

“Still nothing?”

 

He takes time with each step closer to you, building up your fear. Your heart shoots up into your throat, it beats so fast that you can barely breathe. You swallow another spoonful of fear before looking up at your torturer with pure silence. However before he could reach you, someone throws the door open. Through the gray light emitting from outside of the door, you make out a man dressed in black clutching his sides. Blood drips down his fingers as he leans against the door for support. He heavily breathes, “Boss, he’s here. We have to go—!”

 

Just as he was about to finish his sentence, he is knocked out with the sides of a large shotgun. You know only one person uses guns like that, Gabriel. The scarred man charges forward, pulling back for a punch but your savior side steps to avoid his blow before finishing him with a roundhouse kick. You admire the perfect angle and the strength of Gabriel's kick that knocked his opponent back. You watch as the last man remaining raises both hands and gets down on his knees, surrendering himself only to be knocked out by the force of Gabriel’s elbow striking down on his head. He flops face forward onto the ground. Any medic can tell he won’t be waking up anytime soon from that sort-of concussion.  

 

“Gabriel…”

 

You look at him with heavy relief on your face. Tears well up in your eyes, but you try not to cry since it’ll make the pain worse. Gabriel puts his guns in its holsters before crouching down, taking out an army knife to cut your bindings. To be able to move your hands and feet has never made you so happier. You rotate your wrist and move your legs, trying to wake them up. Gabriel was strangely silent. He just stares over you with a mixture of worry and anger with hints of remorse. His eyebrows are knit together, eyes hard but soften each time they pass by a bruise. His hand reaches towards your cheek. You feel the texture of his glove lightly against your skin. He brushes his thumb against the red bruise swelling on your cheekbone. You lean towards his hand but he’s quick to move it away. You raise an eyebrow but don’t question it.

 

“We can’t stay here, any one of them could be awake and calling for reinforcements.”

 

Gabriel gets up and moves toward the door. You follow suit, trying to ignore the pain. All you wanted to do right now is to get out of this place. But it wasn’t long before you realized something.

 

“Where’s everyone else?”

 

Gabriel turns his head back to glance at you but doesn’t answer your question immediately. He waits until he's completely out of the room before stating, “I came alone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for being inactive for a year! I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter and ended up rewriting the whole thing a few weeks ago. I had to fix the story's timeline since so many new characters came out (what are your thoughts on Ashe?). Everything is fine now and I'm getting back into writing again so yay for that! I'll try to update regularly instead of going on another long hiatus. Well, until next time!

**Author's Note:**

> It's been too long since I've written fanfiction. But let's see how it goes.


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